DETROIT—Two teens have been arrested in connection with the killing of three people in a west-side home, including a 5-year-old boy who was shot multiple times days before his birthday, police said Tuesday.
The suspects, ages 16 and 17, were arrested Monday and have been remanded to the Wayne County Juvenile Detention Facility as police prepare warrants seeking murder charges, Detroit Police Cmdr. Michael McGinnis said during a Tuesday press conference at Detroit Public Safety Headquarters.
Citing the open investigation, McGinnis declined to release some details of the incident, including when the killings are thought to have happened or the possible motive, although Police Chief James White said whatever prompted the killings is immaterial.
“It’s just inexcusable, whatever the issue was, to get that outraged, to bring a baby into this and kill him,” White said.
A relative of one of the victims found the bodies at about 5 p.m. Sunday in a home in the 15300 block of Evergreen, McGinnis said.
“A family member who hadn’t heard from their loved one for several days went to check ... and ended up discovering their loved one, his girlfriend and her 5-year-old son deceased in the house,” said McGinnis, who heads the department’s Major Crimes Section that includes the homicide unit.
“The child had a birthday five days from now,” McGinnis said. “I imagine the family was preparing for a birthday celebration, and tragically, their plans changed.
“Words can’t explain what it’s like to see a 5-year-old child lying deceased from gunshot wounds. It’s incredible how sad that is.”
Because the suspects are juveniles, McGinnis said he couldn’t disclose whether they'd had prior contacts with law enforcement.
Tips from the community led police to the two suspects, McGinnis said.
“You are the reason why we were able to get so far in this investigation in such short order,” McGinnis said of the citizens who provided detectives with information. “Tips came in, we identified the suspects, and our apprehension team ... took them into custody.
“We’ve served multiple search warrants and we have high confidence that the individuals we’ve taken into custody are responsible (for the killings),” McGinnis said. “We'll be submitting a warrant soon for prosecutors to review.”
